M O R E . D I N N E R . P L E A S E .

Appreciating eateries across London & beyond | UK |

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MATCHA GREEN TEA - This is just the beginning. | LONDON

In the West, matcha has gained quite some popularity in recent years with the rising hype of herbal teas and detoxing. For years, matcha has been a prominent flavour amongst East-Asian desserts and it’s finally catching on in London.

If you’ve ever tried matcha green tea, you’ll be familiar with its earthy, mellow flavours of toasted grain - refreshing yet warming at the same time. Not quite as dense as the strong roasted flavour of its cousin hojicha (green tea that’s charcoal roasted, rather than steamed), matcha pairs well to offset the richness of heavier foods and its aromatic subtlety makes it the ideal dessert flavour without being sickly sweet.

...enough talk, where to get your matcha fix?

Most of these places also do other desserts, so watch out for full review posts!

Soho - Shibuya: Matcha & Adzuki Shaved Ice//Matcha Latte//Cake

Soho - Shackfuyu: Matcha Soft-Serve with Kinako French Toast

Covent Garden - Milk Train Café: Matcha Soft-Serve on candy floss (!!)

Soho - Tsujiri: Matcha Soft-Serve with your choice of toppings

Soho - Biju: Fresh milk/cream Bubble Tea (Matcha & others)

With the arrival of the above, it’s safe to say that just in Soho alone, matcha is already well and truly nestled amongst the classics of vanilla and chocolate...

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DEFUNE - “the longest-running in London” . | MARYLEBONE

With a history of over 35 years, Defune is the longest-running Japanese restaurant in London and has quite a bit of a reputation to uphold... It offers both à la carte and teppanyaki dining experiences split over two floors and also offers a lighter lunch menu. I went for a late weekend Sunday lunch but instead decided to try out their Wagyu Beef Chef Special off the dinner menu, consisting of 8 courses:

1. Trio of Starters 2. Teapot Soup 3. King Crab Avocado Salad 4. Assorted Sashimi 5. Foie Gras Sauté 6. Champagne Sorbet (Yuzu Sorbet) 7. Wagyu Beef Teppanyaki 8. Dessert

At £95, the “dining experience” doesn’t exactly come cheap but both taste and presentation were great and the service attentive. Especially as it’s marketed as an “experience”, it would have been nice if they had shared a bit of knowledge on each dish or even just stated what each dish was as it was served but otherwise, no complaints.

You may know of the Japanese custom of eating sushi in a particular order, building up from the simple purer tastes to those more sophisticated. Here, they’ve similarly planned the menu, so that you’re able to get the most out of the flavour combinations with each course. Beginning with the assortment of starters, you jump right into the deep end, with big flavours in the fried fishcake, tamago-egg wrapped eel and appetising pickle salad. Each portion is teasingly bite-sized, so it’s not too much for the palate and of course, you’re left wanting more.

Next is the Teapot Soup: a Japanese classic broth of seafood and vegetables. The sweetness of the seafood is prominent, yet the overall taste is clean and simple, refreshing the palate and lifting the richness of the starters. I really liked the presentation of this course and it was great fun poking about in the dainty pot to see what’s inside (assorted mushrooms, shrimp, coriander, celery and tofu).

Of the 8 courses, the King Crab Avocado Salad with Salmon Roe seemed most alike a ‘commercial’ Japanese dish but it was delicious and presentation beautiful, nonetheless. The avocado was perfectly ripe and the crab wasn’t bulked with mayonnaise - what I find to be a frustratingly common practice in cold crab dishes. Mayonnaise did accompany the dish, but swirled with wasabi, adding an exciting kick. Instead of going for mind-blowing, it’s evident that Defune went for firm-rooted classic with this course.

Again, sashimi is a Japanese staple, so there’s not too much to be said about this course. Portion size was good, it was fresh and the wasabi was good quality.

The showstopper of this Set Menu is really supposed to be the Wagyu... but the Foie Gras Sauté was hands-down, my absolute favourite. The sauce was a delicious mix of meaty flavours with a sweet undertone and the foie gras was fresh, flavoursome and extremely melt-in-your-mouth. It may not look like a huge portion in the photo but boy, was this an indulgent course... not that I was complaining!

The sixth course was supposed to be a Champagne Sorbet but what actually came was a Yuzu Sorbet. This wasn’t communicated to us, which I did think was a bit cheeky but it worked well with the rest of the menu. Yuzu is a citrus fruit commonly used in Japanese cooking, with a flavour similar to grapefruit. The sorbet was smooth, tangy and not too sweet, though it was quite milky/creamy for a sorbet - almost like ice cream. It did the job though - prepping the palate for the main event: Wagyu!

By this point, I’d already eaten way more than I would for an average lunch and I was starting to get full. I requested for the Wagyu to be cooked to about 75% but it came almost well-done, which was slightly disappointing. You know what they say about cooking steak well-done being slaughter of good beef... well surprisingly, I think the fatty composition of Wagyu just managed to clinch it from being so. Whilst a well-done sirloin may get tough and dry, the more I chewed the Wagyu, the more succulent it got, as the juices and fats melted down and you can see the moist glisten in the photo. Honestly speaking, I do think it would have tasted a lot better at 65-75% but for an almost cooked-through bit of beef, it was pretty damn good. It was served with condiments: a plum sauce, strong mustard and soy but generally I like to enjoy quality beef on its own to truly taste the natural flavours.

You know I have a thing for Matcha, so naturally I picked the Matcha ice cream. Clean, smooth and rich, it was the perfect dessert to round off 8 courses. The banana crepe was a heavier choice, though equally as delicious; the pancakes were freshly made, soft and clearly rich in egg. As for the fresh fruit platter, I don’t know whether the strawberries were a Japanese import as I know that they take their fresh produce very seriously in Japan and they try to grow their fruit and veg at the most optimal conditions for maximum flavour, sweetness and texture etc... but my god, the strawberries were sweet; not a sickly sweet but a refreshing burst of strawberry kind of sweet. The flavour of strawberry itself was intense and the only way I can think to describe it properly is that they were the most strawberry-tasting strawberries I’d ever tasted.

Despite the few niggles here and there, it was a brilliant Sunday lunch and I’d definitely recommend for both those who either love Japanese food or have never tried but always wanted to!

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OXBO - “the home of honest flavoursome food” . | BANKSIDE

Set menus can be a bit hit-or-miss, usually excluding the restaurants’ best offerings in order to commit to a certain price range. Ordering from a set menu usually becomes a game of “is this worth the £xx I’ll be paying?” and at OXBO, the dessert confirmed the answer as a firm yes. Included on the set menu were starter, main and dessert plus a glass of Prosecco for under £30.

Granted, the sundae was a Wimbledon special so it was pretty much the centrepiece but the rest of the meal was pretty good also. Portions looked a bit small initially but somehow the menu worked together well and we were not left dissatisfied nor hungry. I went for the asparagus soup starter and simple green soup is not usually my kind of thing as they’re usually on the bland side but OXBO had clearly given this dish some thought. The soup is accompanied by a cheddar puff-pastry palmier that keeps both the flavours and textures interesting. I didn’t try any of the fish cake but my friends enjoyed it and the presentation was great.

Pan-fried hake was my choice of main, on a side of mash with ribboned carrots and a soy glaze. This might seem like quite a standard combo when it comes to fish but clearly some work had gone into the planning, keeping the hake the central focus. The mash had a grainy hint of mustard (personal favourite) but not too strong as to overpower the delicate taste of hake and the thin shredding of the carrots softened their texture, so that they were the perfect balance between way-too-mushy-under-boiled and way-too-crunchy-over-boiled. The soy glaze was of a good amount in my opinion; it was quite strong, so to not present it separately on the side prevented you from drowning out the mild taste of hake with the saltiness of soy. I didn’t think much of this dish whilst I was eating it, other than that it tasted great but on review, the proportions of each element are well considered and they really work together well.

Three scoops of quality strawberry ice cream, fresh strawberries, Chantilly cream, strawberry coulis, shards of berry-crushed white chocolate and metallic chocolate-coated popping candy, topped off with green tea macarons iced to look like tennis balls; the Wimbledon Strawberry Sundae at OXBO was quite something. The helping was huge (who’s complaining?), and every mouthful was delicious.

The decor at OXBO has a good contrast between clean, straight pipe lighting, rustic frames and hunter-style animal heads mounted on the walls. Dark wood tables and their clipboard menus add a further modern touch.

NB: OXBO also offer the popular bottomless brunch, which I’m yet to try!

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WHAT’S COMING SOON and what would you like to see?

Occasion dining and casual dinners... also the time we ordered two desserts. Here’s a little sneak preview into where we’ve been eating lately and don’t forget to tweet us your recommendations!

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SHIBUYA - Matcha & Adzuki Shaved Ice//Matcha Latte. | SOHO

A hotspot for its “bingsu” (a shaved ice dessert highly popular in Korean), Shibuya taps well into the matcha trend, also offering matcha latte and cakes on its menu. Their matcha and red bean bingsu is a personal favourite but if it’s not your thing, it also comes in mango, strawberry and a new kinako soybean (read all about kinako here) flavour. 

Matcha & Adzuki Shaved Ice - A dessert comprised of layers of matcha powder, sweet adzuki red bean and flaked almonds amongst refreshing shaved ice. The ice-to-topping ratio is good and at no point will you be left with a bland chunk of ice, as there are layers of matcha/adzuki/almond throughout. The beauty of Shibuya is that the shaved ice is milk-based, already subtly sweet on its own and accompanied with a side of condensed milk for those who want to go all in. It comes in regular or large but from experience, regular is enough for two to share, especially if you also get drinks. 

Matcha Latte - Having gone back several times for this, my last experience was somewhat substandard. The first few times it was traditionally presented in a tea bowl, frothy foam on top and dusted with matcha powder. It came lightly sweetened at a good, hot but ready-to-drink temperature but it seems that Shibuya has made some changes. It’s now presented in a latte glass, thinner in consistency without as much foam and powder and came slightly cold though I ordered the hot version. It really seemed as though they’d skimped on it this time, which is frankly unacceptable when it’s priced just shy of £5. It could just be a one-off but for now I’d stick to the bingsu!

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NORDIC BAKERY - two words: Scandinavian treats. | SOHO

It was Cinnamon Bun Day yesterday - 4th October 2016; how else to celebrate other than to feature a post on Nordic Bakery? Sheltered from the central hustle and bustle of Soho, Nordic Bakery resides on one side of the relaxing greenery that is Golden Square. It keeps things simple by focussing on authenticity, rather than fancy flourishes, making it the ideal stop for a coffee and pastry, Scandinavian style. 

Sticking to my usual cappuccino, it was full-bodied with noticeably greater depth of flavour than the average chainstore variant. I’d describe it as sipping through creamy foam to reach a strong roasted flavour and then finally being met by a smoother yet rich taste. The main event though, is their traditional cinnamon bun. The one at Nordic Bakery is not unknown; it could be singled out as arguably their most popular item on the menu. If you’re familiar with the commercial cinnamon bun/roll, you’ll probably expect a soft, doughy treat. Treat it is, but the texture of the Scandinavian cinnamon bun is probably a little denser than you’re used to. Freshly baked in-store, they’re slightly crisp on the outer and perfectly glazed so that there’s a delicate hint of sweetness to complement the raw, nutty spice of cinnamon. They’re usually plentiful by the till but unless you’re short for time, it’s definitely worth waiting for one fresh out the oven. There’s something truly enchanting about the subtle crunch you hear from ripping it apart and watching the burst of warm steam that’s difficult to pinpoint - go and see for yourself.

Amongst other items from their menu that I’ve tried are the Oatmeal & Chocolate Cookies and their Blueberry Bun; both are delicious in their distinctive way. The base of the Blueberry Bun is unsweetened and quite heavy, which pairs well with the blueberry jam so that overall it’s sweet but not cloying. The Oatmeal Cookies were ridiculously moreish; the grainy texture contrasts well with the soft, melted chocolate and flavours also well balanced. I’ve not yet strayed from their bakery section so I can’t comment on the savoury options but given that the concept of Nordic Bakery is that for anything that’s offered in-store - it’s guaranteed that somebody somewhere in Scandinavia is snacking on the same thing, I guess they can’t go wrong?

I particularly like the thorough approach Nordic Bakery has taken when it comes to their decor and choice of crockery. The walls are painted blue or wood-panelled and the golden brown bakery items are served on blue crockery, which echoes their chosen palette of blue and brown hues. The hanging carpet rug gives the space a homely finish and the heavy silver cutlery - a refreshing modern splash.

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SHACKFUYU - the so-good-it’s-now-permanent-ex-pop-up. | SOHO

Matcha ice cream is good... but matcha ice cream with kinako french toast is even better. For those unfamiliar, kinako is a roasted soy bean powder that’s popularly used to dust over desserts in East-Asia. It’s not particularly sweet on its own but adds a rich, toasted complexity that goes down well with the lighter flavour of matcha. Dusting over french toast adds balance to the sweetness, whilst giving the indulgent dessert an Eastern twist.

Shackfuyu’s french toast is unlike any I’ve had before - thick slices that are crisp and slightly caramelised on the outside yet retaining an unbelievably soft, fluffy inner. The contrast in texture really keeps a good equilibrium in the dessert, without it getting too heavy which I often find is the case when it comes to french toast. It’s easy to end up with greasy bread dripping in oil but this toast was expertly-fried and relatively oil-drip-free. Like most soft-serve, the matcha ice cream is on the more refreshing side, yet still creamy without being sickly.  The matcha flavour is prominent but doesn’t overpower the kinako toast. 

Food goes beyond the taste for me and I loved the presentation on the retro china plate, which complemented the green and ochre of the matcha and kinako dusting. It’s not at all surprising that the ex-pop-up is now a permanent feature within Bone Daddies!

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VILA KORUNA - Mali Ston’s Best. | CROATIA

Picking the first restaurant in sight, it’s always a gamble when it comes to price and quality right? Not at Vila Koruna: a family-run establishment boasting annual accolades for their oysters, which are proudly displayed around the dining room. It’s no surprise, as their seafood is sourced fresh from the bay of Mali Ston.

Across travels in Croatia, Mali Ston is a must-visit for anybody with a taste for the sea. Prided for its shellfish, not only is there a good handful of seafood speciality restaurants, the area is soothingly tranquil and the boat dock a wonderfully scenic backdrop for holiday snaps.

Driving from Dubrovnik into Mali Ston, Vila Koruna is the first restaurant upon arrival, situated metres within the village entrance. Judging by lunch, Vila Koruna deserves its 1st Place ranking for the area in the DK Eyewitness travel guide to Croatia.

The menu is extensive, an A2 spread covering both freshly-caught seafood and classic dishes of pasta, risotto and grilled meats. Starting off with a dozen of their winning oysters, we then ordered mussels, octopus salad, langoustines, mixed shellfish, a catch-of-the-day bream and the seasonal vegetable platter which as standard as it sounds, was much beyond expectation in both variation and presentation. Fresh bread is offered with olive oil, salt, pepper and butter on arrival, topped up throughout our meal.

A distinct feature of Vila Koruna was that the chef would showcase the day’s special catches available to order to each table of diners, sharing suggestions of how they could be cooked and enjoyed. We chose for our bream to be grilled with lemon, tomato and garlic in traditional Croatian style and indeed the grill was timed perfectly, so that the flesh fell from the bone with ease whilst still retaining full flavour without drying out.

We were already pretty hungry after the drive but the hands-on element of shellfish only added anticipation to what was to come. Although a little messy, it also made it a fun dining experience with friends. None of the dishes were heavily seasoned (which really is how it should be!); the flavours were full-bodied yet light and the freshness of the shellfish made all the difference in the world, naturally enhancing sweetness.

The couple who own the restaurant were very friendly, personally welcoming us to the table and asking us about our travels. They offered myself and my friend some of the strawberries they were sat eating as we passed by, which was very sweet and we were also gifted speciality Croatian sea salt that was available to buy on the menu.

Despite it being our first authentic meal in Croatia, lunch at Vila Koruna remains the favourite meal of the trip. Oh, and our table was situated with a full view of the Mali Ston bay...